In a decision released today, Schools Adjudicator Phil Whiffing did not uphold Mr Rayment’s specific objection that the school’s admissions policy disadvantaged boys from areas of greatest deprivation in the south west of Bath.

However, Mr Whiffing said in his report: “It is undeniable that the school has a less deprived intake than the other state-funded schools in the city.”

He ordered Beechen Cliff School to change 16 aspects of its admissions policy as a result of his investigation.

This year's intake of pupils at Beechen Cliff live within the red line; neighbourhoods are colour-coded by level of deprivation with dark blue the most deprived and yellow the least deprived

Mr Whiffing found:

allocating an equal number of places to boys living either side of the River Avon is “unreasonable and is unfair” to boys living south of the river

giving priority to brothers of girls who attend Hayesfield Girls School is unfair because it is of little practical benefit to those families or educational benefit to the children and it reduces the number of places available for other boys who do not have a sister attending Hayesfield

14 other ways in which the admissions policy does not comply with the School Admissions Code.

Beechen Cliff has been given two months to revise its admission arrangements to bring them in line with the code.

Nigel Stevens, acting chair of governors, said: "We note the publication of the adjudication regarding the admissions policies today and will be reviewing in detail the findings.

"Beechen Cliff School will of course ensure all recommendations are incorporated into our policies."

Beechen Cliff's admissions policy

When there are more applications than places available, applications are taken in the following order:

Looked after children (in care) and previously looked after children.

Boys with a sibling at Beechen Cliff or Hayesfield Girls' School.

Sons of members of staff.

Up to 12 places are available on the basis of sporting excellence.

Of the remaining places, 40 per cent to go to children living north of the River Avon, 40 per cent to children south of the river, and 20 per cent to boys living outside Bath.

Mr Rayment, who is the deputy Leader of the Labour Group in Bath and North East Somerset, said he believes the ruling will give boys from the south west of Bath a much better chance of getting into Beechen Cliff school.

“I am very pleased with this ruling,” he said.

“I referred Beechen Cliff’s admissions practices to the Schools Adjudicator because a huge number of disappointed parents contacted me when their sons did not secure a place at the school.

“These were parents from across the south of Bath, not just Twerton and I could not understand how children living in the south of the city could not get a place at their nearest school.

Cllr Rayment outside Bath Community Academy, which closed in July (Image: Artur Lesniak)

“This ruling is a step forward. However the allocation of secondary school places in Bath remains a huge challenge since the closure of Bath Community Academy. I am working tirelessly to address the need for local children to be able to have a place at their local school.”

Schools Adjudicators are appointed by the Secretary for Education. Their job is to clarify the legal position on admissions policies in schools.

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